


Theories

by Makioka



Category: Aubrey-Maturin Series - Patrick O'Brian
Genre: Gen, Humor, Implied Relationships, Treat
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-25
Updated: 2012-12-25
Packaged: 2017-11-22 08:29:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,125
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/607834
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Makioka/pseuds/Makioka
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Diana proposes a rather shocking theory to Sophie on the nature of Stephen and Jack's relationship.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Theories

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Doire](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Doire/gifts).



> I saw the prompt and this got written. Happy Yuletide!

Sophie was making small dainty stitches in a petticoat that had been grievously ripped in a romp with the children, and every thrust of the needle was unexpectedly vicious. She hadn't in her heart of hearts expected Jack to remain faithful to her, the poisonous words of her mother had borne that much fruit at least. She was content to nurse her misery alone though, and certainly didn't want company in her poor mood. 

 

So the light and airy presence of Diana in the room was not conducive to smiles or much of an acknowledgement. In fact the remembrance of certain attentions that Jack had paid to Diana (however many years ago they were now) did very little to endear the other woman to Sophie in this present humour. Diana with the peculiar aggravating tendency she had of knowing at any moment where she was least wanted, had seated herself at the pianoforte and was gently coaxing a tune from it, in a style rather contrary to her usual. 

 

When Sophie's sighs became too loud to ignore, she spun and faced her. "Sophie," she said firmly. "If you sigh once more, you will knock this house down, and we will have more trouble than some flirtations to worry about."

 

Given this invitation to express her thoughts, Sophie lost no time in acquainting Diana, that a flirtation was most certainly equal to minor structural damage. When she wound up her troubles with the distressing news that she had received, she was perplexed and displeased by the smile that sat on Diana's well-cut lips. "I don't understand," she said, as close to petulantly, as she ever got, "why you should smile. Just because Ste-," she closed her mouth, and flushed a silent red. Stephen was her dear friend, and while she rarely begrudged Diana his devotion, she was rather jealous of his constancy.

 

Diana pulled her chair closer to Sophie, and glanced round as though in wary anticipation of Mrs Williams who rarely allowed a tete a tete to happen without her unfortunate presence. Luckily she was away on a visit, and everybody was ominously quiet in the rest of the house in a way that Sophie was sure should alarm her. "Sophie," she said, "by the Lord do not be as big a ninny as all that. Jack worships the ground that you walk on, as any fool would know. And when he is away, would you begrudge him a little comfort in gazing on others?"

 

Sophie hesitated, unwilling to appear so mean-minded in front of Diana. Although she prided herself on her good sense and decency, when they were alone it was hard not to want to appear to be at ease with her cousin's liberalness at least. "I suppose," she allowed grudgingly, "but I do not see why he should want to-to touch as well." At the sight of Diana's raised eyebrows she was forced to retract that also. 

 

"You don't see why he would want to touch?" Diana says almost archly, and her fingertips are light on Sophie's arm, and her voice a little lower suddenly. Sophie breaths in deep, and tries to focus on the real issue at stake here, which is not whether Jack should _want_ to touch women, but whether he did so or not. Diana's laugh is softer now, more intimate. "You need not worry Sophie. Why would he stray from you with another woman, when his needs are met so thoroughly and ably aboard ship?"

 

Sophie gaped for a second before realising it and shutting her mouth. "Diana," she hissed, upset more than words could say. "Oh how could you imagine that Jack would abuse his position like that and take advantage of his crew?"

 

There was more approval than anything on Diana's face. "I appreciate," she said drily, "that your first instinctive reaction was not horror at sodomy," (Sophie's face flamed anew at the bluntness of the word,) "but rather indignation at the very idea of Jack so abusing his position. Jack picked better than he knew. But, no I would never impute to Jack so grave a charge as that. There is only one man who Jack could possibly consort with in such a way."

 

Sophie covered her ears at that, determined to hear no more of the evil that Diana was suggesting, though reluctantly fascinated as to how even her unladylike cousin had picked up the details that she was now relaying, as though she knew perfectly well that Sophie's hands didn't block out sound very well. "I refuse to listen to this," she said, but opened her fingers a little more still. If she must hear evil, then at least let her hear every word. 

 

Diana continued. "It is hardly unexpected surely? There are needs only a man can know and satisfy I suppose, and they do have urges at sea. They are so close, close as any two souls can be, alone, separated by rank and taste from the common file aboard. What more natural or more fitting than that they should mingle together, when they are far away from home?" Her voice was persuasive, velvety soft and smooth, and Sophie found her hands falling away from her ears completely.

 

"But," she said in a last ditch effort to return sanity to their discourse. "It's _wrong_."

 

"More wrong than adultery with risk of a child?" Diana asked reasonably. "Surely it is better that they should slake their fire together, in the close comfort of a friend, than go afield for their pleasure. 'Tis a separate thing to them from home and family, sea-love not land, and I for one do not begrudge it. Besides it is wrong to pick greengages and bottle them on a Sunday, and we've seen the parson and his wife doing so, twice these past Sundays."

 

There was a flaw in Diana's argument, Sophie was sure of it, but when she considered the options that were thus presented to her, she could not help but concede that she was rather happier with dear good Stephen looking after Jack in whatever way possible, than any other permutation of people. "I can hardly believe it," she said, and shook her head, more to add weight to her supposed disbelief, than because she really thought so. "But how did you guess Diana? Or did Stephen tell you?"

 

Diana smiled at her wickedly. "He told me no such thing. As far as I know it is all invention." She fled from the room giggling helplessly and Sophie pursued her, needle and petticoat forgotten, caught up in the thrill of the chase, the thought now fixed in her mind of the possible truth of what Diana had said, and her misery quite swept away.


End file.
